The goal of using a pre-shave oil is to make shaving smoother and easier, especially for those with a lot of stubble or a really tough beard. It's an interesting concept, but even following the company's directions for applying this oil before the shaving cream or gel, you'll find the oil doesn't rinse easily and can leave a slight greasy residue on skin.

Texture and rinsing issues aside, the major concern is that the formula contains fragrant plant oils known to be irritating, and that's always bad for a guy's skin. Eucalyptus, peppermint, and rosemary lend a cooling sensation and a somewhat medicinal smell to Pre-Shave Oil, but this is as far from medicine for the skin as you can get. See More Info to find out why daily use of irritating, fragrant ingredients hurts rather than helps skin.

A superfluous product if you're already using a good shaving cream or gel.

More Info:

Daily use of products that contain a high amount of fragrance, whether the fragrant ingredients are synthetic or natural, causes chronic irritation that can damage healthy collagen production, lead to or worsen dryness, and impair your skin's ability to heal. Fragrance-free is the best way to go for all skin types. If fragrance in your skin-care products is important to you, it should be a very low amount to minimize the risk to your skin (Sources: Inflammation Research, December 2008, pages 558–563; Skin Pharmacology and Physiology, June 2008, pages 124–135, and November-December 2000, pages 358–371; Journal of Investigative Dermatology, April 2008, pages 15–19; Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, March 2008, pages 78–82; Mechanisms of Ageing and Development, January 2007, pages 92–105; and British Journal of Dermatology, December 2005, pages S13–S22).

Strengths: The self-tanner is a cut above the norm; good lip balm with sunscreen.

Weaknesses: Like most men’s lines, Anthony Logistics products often contain irritating ingredients that hurt rather than help skin; terrible shaving and post-shave products; expensive body washes with basic formulas; impossible to assemble a complete skin-care routine without exposing skin to several problematic ingredients.

There really is an Anthony behind the Anthony Logistics brand—Anthony Sosnick, who began this men's line in 2000. In some ways, the brand opened up a whole new world of skin care for guys, because it went beyond the soap/shave/aftershave routine that for years was the only widespread option for men's grooming.

Now sold at major retailers, such as Sephora, Ulta, and numerous men's salons throughout the United States, Anthony Logistics offers men's skin care from head to toe. As impressive as that is, there's a catch: Most of the products contain one or more irritating ingredients that won't lead a man to his best-looking, healthiest skin. In that sense, Anthony Logistics differs little from almost every other men's product line, and that's a shame because clearly this brand has some good potential (and good intentions).

According to the company, their products are formulated with ingredients specific to a man's skin, but that claim is completely bogus. The fact is there are no special ingredients men need that women don't and vice versa. Yes, there are some differences between men's and women's skin but those differences don't have anything to do with how you take care of your skin. Sun damage, wrinkles, acne, rosacea, dry skin, oily skin, large pores, and on and on should be treated the same way, regardless of your gender. Men's products don't need to be stronger, because all stronger typically means is more irritating, and no one's skin needs that!

As mentioned above, most of the Anthony Logistics products contain ingredients that are extremely problematic for anyone's skin. Ingredients like alcohol, peppermint, eucalyptus, and many of the other irritants strewn throughout this line are seriously bad for skin. (Guys, skin care isn't about portraying a tough "no pain, no gain" mentality.) The limited number of well-formulated products makes this a less than logical line for any man.

For more information about Anthony Logistics, call (866) 268-4669 or visit anthony.com.

About the Experts

The Beautypedia Research Team is dedicated to helping you find the absolute best products for your skin, using research-based criteria to review beauty products from an honest, balanced perspective. Each member of the team was personally trained by Paula Begoun herself.